Jobs

Post Title: Learning and Engagement Officer
Terms: Full-time (37.5 hours per week), permanent
Salary: £21,000 per annum
Located at: Scottish Fisheries Museum, St Ayles, Harbourhead, Anstruther, KY10 3AB

2. Background

The Scottish Fisheries Museum was founded in the old fishing port of Anstruther, at a property known as St Ayles, as a trust and charity in 1969, to collect, record and interpret the history of the fishing industry in Scotland. The Museum has expanded to occupy a number of adjacent properties and holds collections of over 65,000 artefacts, including full size fishing vessels, and received ‘Recognition of National Significance’ status in 2007. The Museum has a small team of paid staff plus significant volunteer support, especially through three clubs, the Boats Club, Model Boat Club and St Ayles Rowing Club.

The Museum has full Accreditation status and is graded a four-star visitor attraction by VisitScotland.

3. Purpose of Job

This post is within the Curatorial team and will involve working closely with the Curator, Curatorial Trainees and Volunteers. We are looking for a highly motivated individual to join us to continue the delivery and development of the museum’s learning and engagement service. At a time when we, like many museums, are reviewing our learning programmes in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, this is a great opportunity to join our team to develop our offering, blending on-site and online programming for a sustainable future.

You will be required to present its collections creatively and engagingly to our school-based, family and community audiences through formal and informal learning, interactives, holiday activities, workshops, events and talks using in-person, physical, and digital media.

There will be some evening and weekend working throughout the year on a duty management rota and around planned events and activities.

MAIN ACTIVITIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

As Learning and Engagement Officer, you will be responsible for:
• realising the full potential of the Recognised Collections as a learning resource
• engaging and inspiring people in the wider community of all ages and interests
• raising awareness of the museum, its collections, and programmes through a range of media channels, in collaboration with the Marketing Officer
• working in close partnership with the curatorial team and external partners including IMS, FMF, Fife Community Learning

Learning and Engagement:

• To develop, promote, deliver, and evaluate a learning programme for all ages, accommodating a range of learning styles and learning outcomes
• To develop formal and informal opportunities to engage visitors in museum activities
• To liaise with and support the curatorial staff in delivering exhibitions, events and associated activities to a wide audience
• To encourage and develop a group of volunteers to support, develop and deliver learning and engagement activities
• To liaise with schools, develop and deliver educational sessions, online, in the museum and as outreach, in line with the Curriculum for Excellence
• To liaise with community and sector partners to reach wider audiences and foster patnerships
• To evaluate activities to deliver the best possible visitor and audience experience
• To play a part in ensuring a high public profile for our museum through giving talks, posting on social media etc.
• To support the Curatorial team in collections management and development

Policy and Planning:
You will support the production and implementation of the Museum’s overall policies and planning and in particular will contribute to:

• The annual review of the Museum’s Strategic Plan and any subsequent revisions.

• Board Committees as required.

• Collaborative working with other institutions (e.g. through partnership projects).

Budgeting and Finance:
An annual Learning and Engagement budget is approved by the Board in advance of the new financial year. You will manage this budget and should liaise with the Office Manager to keep accurate accounts.

You may seek external funding (via grants or sponsorship) for specific projects and may use funds from the Learning and Engagement budget as match-funding for this. Any such application should be discussed with the Curator/Director of Operations.

Management and Supervisory Responsibilities:
As Learning and Engagement Officer you will be accountable to the Curator who, in turn, is responsible to the Board and Director in terms of finance, all development, trading and marketing. In the absence of the Curator, you may, on occasion be required to deputise for the Curator at such meetings.

You will be responsible for your own time-management with the support of the Curator. You may have supervisory responsibilities for volunteers and any temporary Learning staff e.g. trainees. You will:

• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and of other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work.
• Actively seek for your own CPD, and keep up with current developments in Museum Learning and Engagement theory and practice.
• Go through the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) process
• Work together with other staff and volunteers as appropriate to further the aims of the Museum.

You will act as Weekend Duty Manager and keyholder, working on a rota with other staff.

4. Other Duties

This job description is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve over time. Consequently, this is not a contractual document and the post holder will be required to carry out other duties to the equivalent level that is necessary to fulfil the purpose of the post.

5. Application Procedure
By CV and covering letter to:
Linda Fitzpatrick, Curator, Scottish Fisheries Museum (linda@scotfishmuseum.org)
by 5pm on 15th August 2021.

Selected applicants will be invited for interview during the week of 30th August 2021, date and time to be confirmed in advance in writing.

Before an appointment can be confirmed, you may be subject to a PVG check
The Scottish Fisheries Museum is committed to equality of opportunity
The Scottish Fisheries Museum is a charity registered in Scotland (SCO06185)

Application Deadline: Sunday 15/08/2021